A Deadly Game
by MyaliasisL
Summary: Mick and Beth are out investigating a rogue vampire when they come across one of his victims. They take her to Josef, and all hell breaks loose. Josef/OC Mick/Beth Warnings: May be a little AU...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

Mick St. John was a very hungry, irritated, and tired vampire, and the blonde walking behind him was not helping. The pair had just left Josef Konstan's house after hearing the centuries-old vampire bemoan the fate of the world in his usual pessimistic, paranoid manner. The vampire ran a hand through his hair, approaching his car and unlocking it. 

Beth Turner, who had been following him silently, chose this moment to break her silence. "What're we going to do now, Mick?"

Mick shrugged silently, opening the passenger side door. "After you." Slamming the door after Beth climbed in, he made his way around the car, climbing in and resting his forearms on the steering wheel. "Search me." He replied, removing his sunglasses to rub his tired eyes with the heels of his palms. 

Beth rubbed the vampire's arm soothingly, squinting out the windshield. "Josef said that we'd be able to sense something if anything was going to happen…right?"

Mick let a soft chuckle escape his mouth. "ONLY if I was in my right mind. Which I'm not, really."

"What are you talking about?" The blonde's voice rose slightly in alarm, causing the vampire to wince reflexively. "Sorry."

Mick shook his head, replacing his sunglasses as he started up the engine. "I haven't had a lot of time recently, so I haven't been feeding as much. I'm a little off kilter right now."

Beth arched an eyebrow with a frown. "What precisely does off-kilter mean, in this case?"

"Lowered senses, higher sensitivity to light-" He pulled out into the main traffic, slamming the brakes quickly as a car beeped loudly, speeding past. "Slower reaction time, lessened alertness."

The blonde placed a hand over her racing heartbeat, watching the vampire warily as he started off down the main road. "I think I should drive, Mick."

Mick snorted mirthlessly. "I know where I'm going, Beth. You can't sense what I can."

Beth frowned again. "No, but apparently, that's not much considering your current state!"

Mick turned into an apartment complex, pulling into a parking spot rather haphazardly and throwing the car into park. "Beth, leave it! Right now, all I need from you is silence, and a little cooperation."

The blonde lapsed into hurt silence, getting out of the car and following the vampire. "Is he here, Mick?"

The vampire pulled a pair of sunglasses out of his coat pocket, slipping them on as he slammed the car door shut. "He should be." He replied somewhat coldly, starting for the building. Beth trailed after him silently, and after a moment, the vampire spoke. "Beth, I'm not mad at you. I'm just really tired and I need to feed before we have a repeat of the desert."

Beth nodded slowly. "I didn't have a problem with that." She muttered as she entered the building after Mick.

Removing his sunglasses, the vampire didn't turn to look at her as they walked past the receptionist's desk. "I did."

The pair made their way upstairs, Mick leading. As luck would have it, the room they were looking for had it's door slightly ajar, and Mick entered without knocking. "Keep close to me." He hissed to Beth, his hand finding hers. "I don't want you to get hurt."

Beth simply nodded, squeezing the vampire's hand in reply. Mick crept quietly towards the bedroom area of the apartment, pushing Beth gently against the wall next to the door as he entered. "Nothing. He's not here, Beth."

"Good. Can I come in?"

There was a period of silence, before. "I'm not sure if you'd want to see what he's done."

Beth frowned, starting into the bedroom. "Oh my god, Mick…" 

The vampire was bent double, covering his mouth and nose with a pale hand as he pointed towards the bed. A young woman was lying there, half conscious and barely alive as a steady stream of blood flowed from lacerations in her arm, and two puncture wounds near her collarbone. "We need to get her to Josef."

Beth turned to stare at him in alarm. "Josef?! Are you mad, he'll tell us to let her die!"

Mick shook his head. "Tell me who she looks like." He slurred, the scent of blood beginning to get to him. 

Beth frowned, approaching the bed and examining the half closed eyes, and the pale face. "She looks like Sara…what are you saying, Mick? Sara's dead."

"Precisely." 

Beth had leaned down, gently feeling the woman's forehead. "Mick, you're insane. And hungry. I'll make a deal with you."

Mick shook his head. "I hate deals." He spat, standing shakily. 

"Too bad." Beth snapped, approaching him and all but pinning him to the wall. "We'll take her to Josef…if you feed."

Mick frowned, trying to ignore the closeness of her skin and the scent of her hair, both of which were slowly driving him a little insane. "On WHAT, Beth?" Beth shrugged, rolling up her sleeve to reveal to scars from Mick's last meal on her arm. Mick shook his head. "Beth, you KNOW I can't do that!"

"No. You're scared to. You won't hurt me. I know how to stop you."

"Beth."

"Mick…"

Mick sighed, hunger slowly starting to get the better of him. He glanced towards the unconscious woman on the bed, and the open door, before reaching out and gently taking hold of her arm. "Stop me." With that, he sank his fangs into her arm. 

* * *

"I am NOT going to babysit your stupid pet!" Josef roared, scaring Beth senseless, and extracting a soft groan from the unconscious girl lying on the couch. Mick and Beth had stopped the bleeding as they carried her to the car, but it was fairly obvious that if she didn't get any blood or help, she was going to die.

Mick started as Beth darted behind him, burying her face in his shoulder, but he ignored it for the moment. He was a bit more interested in the elder vampire before him. "Josef, you're the only one here strong enough to help her."

Josef rounded on the detective, causing the vampire to step back reflexively. "What? You're asking me to TURN her now?? Is THAT it?"

Mick flared up. "Well, we CAN'T exactly feed her Beth's blood, and how do you suppose a hospital will react to the puncture wounds? Would they believe it? Probably not. Josef, for once in your pitiful, secluded, self-centered life, help me out!"

Josef calmed slightly, turning to glance at the woman on the couch. "She looks a lot like Sara…you remember what happened with Sara?"

Mick and Beth both nodded. 

"How do you expect me to react when I may KILL this girl trying to help her?!"

"It shouldn't matter, Josef." Mick interrupted. "You don't know her. She's just another mortal to you." 

Josef sputtered a little at that, before finally conceding. "This goes against my better judgment, but being that it is you…" He turned the young woman on the couch, kneeling next to it. 

Moments later, the young woman gasped into consciousness, gripping Josef's wrist gently with both hands, mouth locked around what must have been an open cut.

One could almost see Josef relax as the young woman's brilliant blue eyes met his own hazel ones, and he gently removed his wrist from the young woman's grasp. "What's your name?"

A pause, before, "Arianna."

* * *

A/N: Sorry if it got too out of character, or a little AU. I tried, this is my first Moonlight fic. Be nice, please?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

"What do you want **me** to do with her?" Josef yelled, tossing a glance to the back room in which Arianna was cleaning herself up. 

"You need to take care of her." Mick replied softly, allowing Beth to slip her arm through his. "She doesn't know what's going on, and she's going to be like a child now that she's just been turned."

Josef sprawled backwards into a chair, resting his face in his hands. "I can't do this again, Mick. This is ridiculous. I'm getting too old for this! What if family comes looking for her, or-"

"Shut up, Josef." Mick snapped. "Stop being so paranoid. She's so young, all you need to do is take her out to feed tonight for an hour or so, and she'll sleep for upwards three or four days. Then she'll wake up, and be able to sustain herself. Okay?"

Josef sighed in exasperation. "It was that three to four day period of rest that killed Sara. I don't want that to happen to her…"

Mick could have punched Josef, he was so annoyed. "Josef, you don't hardly KNOW her! Just go on living the way you always did. You'll just have to get a bigger freezer…"

"But-"

Mick started away abruptly. "Deal with it, Josef. I'll be back tomorrow to make sure you didn't kill her."

"Mick, don't le-"

"See ya later, Josef." Mick ushered Beth out the door in front of him, slamming the door behind him. 

Josef stared at the closed door for a few moments, before getting up and starting towards the back room. "Arianna?" There was no response, and he pushed the door open slowly. "Arianna? Are you okay?"

The female vampire came sprinting out of a side room, running full tilt into Josef's chest. "STOP!"

Josef glanced up to see several of the women he fed on regularly standing there, looking irritated. "Why does the snot-nosed BRAT get to be a vampire? Wouldn't more worldly women make better eternal company?"

Josef wrapped a protective arm around Arianna's shoulders without realizing it, temper rising. "What I do, and whom I chose is none of your concern. Leave, before I lose my temper."

The women turned sullenly, leaving. Josef pulled away from the vampire clinging to him in fright, bending so they were on the same level. "Are you alright?"

Arianna nodded slowly, blue eyes slightly unfocused. "Dizzy."

Josef smiled gently, guiding the young woman to the sitting room. "That's normal after you've just been turned. You shouldn't have been running around like that."

Arianna shrugged mulishly. "Sorry."

Josef ran a hand through his hair. "It's fine." A pause. "How are you feeling?"

Arianna gave him a clear 'are you retarded' look. "Dizzy." She repeated.

"Can you talk in more than just one word phrases?" Josef snapped, rounding on her suddenly. 

Arianna shrugged. "Sure I can."

"Then kindly make some attempt to join conversations so I'm not just talking to myself." Josef sighed, starting towards his bedroom. "Come with me."

When Arianna didn't move, the vampire turned, holding out a hand. "Come on. I won't let you get hurt."

There was a moment of hesitation that COULD have turned incredibly awkward, before Arianna took hold of Josef's hand gently, allowing him to pull her to her feet. She trailed behind the elder vampire as he led her towards the bedroom, frowning. "You sleep…in beds?"

Josef laughed softly. "Merely there for aesthetic purposes." He responded, making his way to a back wall upon which there was a number pad. He punched in a four digit code, and the wall slid open. "THIS, my dear, is where I sleep."

Arianna wrinkled her nose in confusion. "A box?"

Josef nearly fell over at this, losing his composure for a moment. "WHAT?"

Arianna stared at the vampire, nonplussed. "It's a box…"

Josef frowned. "It's a FREEZER, dear one." He opened the lid and let the cool air wash over them in waves, giving a small approving nod at Arianna's small moan of rapture. "Feels good, doesn't it?"

"Yes…" Arianna frowned, turning away from the freezer to face Josef. "Why?"

Josef sighed, leading her from the room back into the main living area, sitting her down gently on a sofa. "Do you know where you are? Or who I am?"

"You're Josef Konstantin. And you're a vampire." 

Josef shook his head in exasperation. "Yes, I know that. But do you know where you are? Do you know what you are?"

"I'm at your house, and that you've made me a vampire." Arianna frowned, looking somewhat confused. "Why?"

"I need to explain your nature to you, don't I?"

Arianna shook her head, glancing out the window. "Explain as we go. It's dark out, I'm hungry. Can we get something to eat?"

"Ah…"

"Drink." Arianna amended, frowning.

"I suppose…"

* * *

The shrill ringing of a phone cut the sleepy silence, waking Beth rather unceremoniously. Fumbling, she reached for Mick's phone, which lay on the table ringing shrilly, and answered it. "Hello?"

"You're not Mick." Josef's voice drifted through the earpiece, and Beth grinned.

"No, I'm not. He just went to bed. You want me to get him?"

There was a 'no!' from the other end, obviously directed at someone else, before, "If you would, that would be much appreciated."

"Will do. Hold on." Beth stood, making her way gingerly over towards where Mick slept, knocking gently on the lid of the freezer. "Mick?" There was no response, and she knocked harder. "Mick!"

There was movement, before a muffled, "Go away, Josef!"

"It's BETH, Mick. Get up!"

A pause, before the lid rose and Mick St. John emerged, shirtless and annoyed. "What?!"

Beth tore her eyes away from the vampire's body, raising her eyes to meet his own. "Josef wants to talk to you." She handed him the phone, hurrying out of the room.

"THANKS!" He called after her, before turning his attention to the earpiece. "Hello?"

"Mick? Is that you? I need your help."

Mick frowned in confusion. "You're asking me…to help you…"

"Don't make me repeat myself." Josef snapped, sounding exhausted. "She's all over the place."

"Where are you?" Mick sighed, getting out of the freezer and letting the lid slam shut as he pulled on a shirt. 

"Outside your door. Hurry up."

"What the-" Mick hung up, hop-skipping to the door as he pulled on a pair of socks. Pulling it open, he frowned at Josef and Arianna. "What the hell?"

"She's the spitting image of YOU, Mick St. John!" Josef snapped, shoving her forward into the room before following. 

Mick frowned, shutting the door. "I don't follow."

"She won't FEED!" He snapped, trailing off when he spotted her moving towards Beth with a very strange look in her eyes. "Arianna?"

"She wants to feed off BETH?" Mick blurted in confusion, backing into a table. 

Josef crossed his arms in irritation. "So it would seem. Will you allow it?"

Mick gave him an incredulous glance, grabbing hold of Arianna before Beth could haul back and slap her. "Easy, Beth. She won't kill you." He turned to Josef. "I think Beth should decide that one…"

Beth rolled up her sleeve, holding it out. "I don't see a problem with it."

"Go ahead then, dear one." Josef watched lovingly as Arianna sank her fangs eagerly into Beth's offered wrist, causing the blonde to hiss in pain. 

Not two seconds had passed when Arianna recoiled sharply, nearly smacking her head into the table behind her. Beth covered the bite marks with a cloth to stop the bleeding as Josef hurried forward, gently lifting Arianna's torso into his lap. The girl jerked spasmodically, retching as her blue eyes found Josef's hazel ones, filling with tears. Josef tightened his grip on Arianna's shoulders, struggling to keep the girl from hurting herself further as she thrashed about. "Oh god, Arianna, please just hang on. PLEASE!" Arianna gagged again and rolled onto her side abruptly, emptying the contents of her stomach onto the tile floor and forcing Mick and Beth back a couple of steps. "Please. Oh god, please don't die. Please. Please. Please…" Josef closed his eyes, rocking Arianna gently as the girl turned back onto her back, eyes closed and chest heaving.

"Josef? Josef, I…I love you…so much…" Arianna choked out, retching again as more spasms took over her body. 

Josef shook his head, bracing himself against the floor as Arianna's thrashing increased. "I love you too. You can't. You can't die. No. No." Gagging violently, Arianna turned her head away from the brunette, movement stopping abruptly. "Arianna? Arianna, please don't do this! Arianna?!"

Beth frowned, watching the mourning elder vampire as she leaned towards Mick. "I thought he didn't love her…she was just a random girl."

Mick frowned. "Relationships between a sire and a fledgling can differ. Some hate each other, and some have a bond that turns to love very quickly, as it appears these two do."

"She's not dead…is she?"

"I don't know. All fledglings die before TRULY becoming a vampire. That's why they usually sleep for three or four days after feeding for the first time. I've never seen someone react that dramatically though."

Beth frowned. "Yes, I see that. But she's not going to DIE, is she?" She cast a concerned glance at Josef, who was cradling Arianna in his arms, rocking back and forth like a father who had lost his child. "I mean, look at him."

"I know, Beth." Mick frowned. "We'll just have to wait, and hope."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

Josef Konstantin had never been so worried in his life. Sara had simply fallen ill, then asleep. None of this writhing and choking had happened. So now, Josef was pacing back and forth beside Arianna's bed, willing the young woman to wake up again. A knock sounded on the door and he jumped, hurrying to answer it. "Oh. Mick. Beth. Come in."

"You seem a little short tempered today, Josef." 

"Shut up." The vampire snapped, slamming the door shut behind the pair. "It's Charles today."

Beth frowned in confusion. "Wha-"

"It's a legal thing." Mick interrupted. "Keep in mind Josef has been alive for all of 400 years."

"Good point. Is she any better?" They followed the vampire into his bedroom, where Arianna was lying on the bed, far to still and cold to be alive. 

"I don't know." Josef muttered helplessly, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting his head in his hands. "Mick, I can't go through this again. Once was more than enough."

"I don't know what to tell you, Jos-Charles…" Mick put a comforting hand on Josef's shoulder, patting it gently before starting off. "Do you want us to leave you alone?"

Josef looked as though he was about to shake his head, but thought better of it. "Go ahead. The doctor should be here any second…"

A knock sounded on the door and Josef dragged himself to his feet, making his way past Beth and Mick to open the door. "Hello, Dr."

"Hello, Mr. Fitzgerald. To what do I owe this pleasure."

"It's another one like Sara…" Josef replied softly. 

The doctor nodded solemnly, making his way towards the bed while Josef turned to face Mick and Beth. "Please, if you wouldn't mind…could you stay with me for a couple of days?"

Beth nodded. "Of course we could. Provided you have the room…" She glanced here at Mick.

Mick waved his hand in an offhanded manner. "I've stayed here plenty. There's room."

Josef frowned in thankfulness. "You will never understand how grateful I am." He breathed, turning as the doctor entered the living room. "Well?"

"By rights, she appears to be asleep. The only difference is that she has a very low body temperature and pulse. I wouldn't worry unless she doesn't wake up in the next day or so, Mr. Fitzgerald."

"Thank you, Dr." Josef reached into a pocket, withdrawing a check that had obviously been prewritten and handing it to the doctor, who took it with a nod and left. 

"Well, that's good news." Beth chirped, looking up at Josef expectantly. 

"No." Josef murmured. "That's precisely what they told me about Sara." In the uneasy silence that followed, he strode off towards the bedroom, undoubtedly to check in on Arianna.

* * *

Arianna was dead. Simple as that. She was dead and there was nothing anybody could do about it. Oh, she was aware, but there was nothing SHE could do to make that known. A machine was breathing for her. Another was beating her heart. And yet another was feeding her. But try as they might, machines couldn't replace feelings. And feelings were what mattered most. She knew when Josef came to see her. When Josef apologized over meaningless things. And it was killing her. It was killing her that she couldn't respond. That she couldn't say the three words that she wanted to say more than anything else in the world. Arianna was dead.

* * *

Josef might have gone insane over the next few days, had it not been for his friend's company. At least, he had come to consider them friends. Beth laid a gentle hand on his arm as the vampire emerged from the bedroom, looking wan and paler than normal. "Josef?"

Josef seemed to cast around for the source of the noise, before spotting Beth. "Oh. Yes?" It had been four days since Arianna has fallen ill, and she showed no immediate signs of improving.

"When was the last time you fed?"

The blonde was more perceptive than Josef could ever have imagined, and he stopped short. "Right before I came to see you and Mick that…that night."

"You need to drink something, Josef."

The brunette shook his head, starting towards the main living area. "No. I'm fine. If she doesn't get better, I'll starve. I'm not drinking until she wakes up again."

"Josef, don't be an idiot!" Beth yelled suddenly, hauling back and slapping the vampire as hard as he could. "You'll die before HER if you do that!"

"I can manage." Josef returned coldly. "Stay out of it."

"But Josef-"

There was a yawn behind them as Mick exited the bedroom, undoubtedly having just woken up. "What's all the noise?" He stopped short, noting Beth looking aggressive and Josef with a hand to his face. "What the hell happened here?"

"Your girlfriend slapped me." Josef replied sharply. "I'll be fine."

"Why? Beth?" Mick didn't bother correcting the elder vampire, or hadn't heard the comment.

"He's going to starve himself if Arianna doesn't get better!" She snapped, looking murderous.

"Josef, don't do that! That's STUPID!" 

"And so was that statement." Josef replied coldly. "I'll be fine, for the sixteenth time."

"Josef…" Beth spoke softly, just noticing the vampire's overly slender form, and features that were paler than they should have been. "You can't…"

"I can. And I will." And that was that. Josef Konstantin had resigned himself to death. And for him, it couldn't come quicker.

"You're being idiotic, Josef!" Mick shot out, grabbing the elder vampire's arm. "When Arianna wakes up, she doesn't want to see that you wasted away into nothing!"

"When? If, you mean."

Mick then did the one thing that could not have possibly made the situation better, no matter what. He hauled back, punching the elder vampire as hard as he possibly could. "STOP BEING SO PESSIMISTIC!" He yelled, grabbing Josef's collar and dragging him to his feet. "GO IN THERE, AND TELL HER HOW MUCH YOU LOVE HER, AND **STAY **THERE!" He lowered his voice to a hiss. "I refuse to let you sit here and die."

He set Josef down, pushing him back into the bedroom and slamming the door behind him. "Was I too harsh?"

Beth shrugged. "I couldn't have done that…"

But Mick's outburst had proven to be well timed. When Mick went to go sleep later on that evening, he smiled gently as he spotted Josef sleeping in the bed, arms wrapped around Arianna. The latter's arms were resting on the elder vampire's shoulders, free hand stroking his hair gently. "Good night, Arianna."

_Good night, Mick St. John._

* * *

A/N:I know it's really short compared to chapter two, but I couldn't think of anything. Read and review! 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four:

It had been nearly two days since Arianna had awoken, but had yet to get out of bed. Josef spent hours at a time beside her bed, stroking her hair and chatting with her amiably. There was always that lingering fear that she might slip away, so he seemed to want to make the most of his time with her. "Arianna?"

"Yes?"

"Can you sense thoughts?" Josef asked hesitantly, stroking her hand gently.

"Why?" Arianna frowned in confusion.

"I was just wondering. I am your sire, after all, and that's one of the things that should pass along through the blood."

_'I can, yes.'_

Josef froze, releasing Arianna's hand abruptly. "You…can TALK through thoughts?"

"Why? Is that a bad thing?" Arianna asked innocently, tilting her head in a childish manner. 

"It's something you SHOULD need to be as old as I to do!" Josef sputtered indignantly. 

There was a knock on the door, and Josef turned. "Come in!"

Beth poked her head into the room. "Your guests are here, Josef."

"Show them in." Josef smiled his fledgling, running pale fingers through her hair gently. "You'll see how a vampire like me lives now, yes?"

In response, Arianna leaned down, planting a gentle kiss on Josef's nose. "Of course."

Another knock, and Josef stood. _'Can you stand, my dear?'_

_'I can try.'_ Arianna swung her legs to the side of the bed, supporting herself on the headboard as she stood. "Yes."

"COME IN!" Josef called in response to the insistent knocking. "Come." He held a hand out, supporting Arianna as she stood.

"Josef? You called for us?"

"I did." The elegant vampire moved towards the door, shutting it with a soft click and locking it. "It would be best if we weren't interrupted."

One of the ladies arched an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Josef? We can't engage in any act…there's two of us."

"Who said that we would be doing anything, Jasmine?" Josef asked quietly, frowning.

"Well…"

The other woman, one with deep ebony flowing hair spoke up. "Don't mind her, Josef. Who's this?" She indicated Arianna standing beside the elder vampire.

"This is Arianna. She's my fledgling. And she is the reason I require two of you." Josef spoke calmly. "Merissa, I'll allow Arianna to feed from you. Jasmine, you're mine." 

The women nodded, starting forward. Josef smiled at Jasmine, fangs elongating as he sank them into her throat. _'You may not kill her, understood?'_

_'Yes, sir.'_ Ignoring Merissa's offering of her throat completely, Arianna reached out, gently taking Merissa's arm and sinking her fangs into the soft underside. After a moment, she pushed her away gently, and Merissa stood, covering the wounds with a handkerchief. "You're very gentle, Arianna."

"I've been told that once before." Arianna smiled in Josef's direction. The elder vampire had just finished feeding, and caught her smile, returning one of his own. 

"Thank you, ladies. Go clean up and rejoin the others." Josef clapped his hands, ushering the pair outside.

Arianna stood, approaching Josef and touching his arm gently. "Josef, are Mick and Beth still here?"

"Yes, they are." Josef hooked an arm around her waist. "Shall we?" 

Mick and Beth were in the living room, Beth sleeping against Mick's shoulder, when they entered. Mick shook her gently and she woke with a start. "Josef? Oh! Arianna! You're up!"

Arianna smiled gently. "Yes." She glanced at Mick, nodding wordlessly. _'They are looking for us. For our kind.'_

Mick frowned, nodding in response. "Josef, we should go out."

Josef frowned. "Why?"

"Well, Arianna has yet to feel what it's like to be outside and aware, unless you want to count your little jaunt to my place." _'I will not lure them here. You don't want that.'_

"Please, Josef?" Arianna clutched Josef's arm eagerly, looking for all the world like a little child during Christmas. 

"I-well…" Josef sputtered. "It's…the middle of the day…"

"I meant later tonight, Josef." Mick replied wryly. "I wonder about you sometimes."

"There's another reason for this, isn't there?" Josef let a small noise of distress escape him as Arianna slipped from his arms to go talk to Beth. 

Mick stood, approaching the elder vampire. "She's powerful. Too powerful. People will be looking for her, Josef. You know that."

Josef looked uneasy. "Yes, but-"

"You know how powerful she is now. I don't know how, nor do I want to, but you need to be careful around her. She's not just another pretty face."

"Mick, you're REALLY not in any position to give me advice about this sort of thing." 

Mick bared his fangs in a threatening snarl. "I was there when she was hurt. She had already been given a dose of blood. By whom, I have no idea, but I could smell it on her, and I still can. You are not the only one bonded to her."

"I know." Josef conceded, glancing at the female vampire, who was laughing and joking with Beth as though they were lifelong friends. "Mick, you have to understand that I love her."

"I understand that. Probably more than anyone else in the WORLD. But you have to be careful. Loving her will probably get you hurt." 

Josef frowned. "Nothing could hurt me more than losing her right now, Mick. That much I know. Keep Beth safe. I'll keep Arianna safe. There's nothing more we can do." With that, he turned away from the younger vampire, ending the conversation.

"Josef, I don't feel good." The statement came from the fledgling vampire, who was clutching Beth for support. 

A flash of fear shot through the elder vampire, and he hurried forward, taking Arianna in his arms. The minute they made contact, he recoiled, half-blinded by a sudden wave of pain. "What the hell…."

Mick hurried forward, gently touching Arianna's arm. "She's burning up…" He hissed in pain, withdrawing his hand as quickly as Josef had recoiled. 

Beth looked incredibly confused, glancing around. "She feels normal to me…"

"Which is bad." Both male vampires blurted, and Mick hurried towards the back room. 

"She needs my freezer." Josef blurted, straightening with what looked like immense difficulty. "Come on, Beth."

With Beth's help, they guided the flushed, semi-delirious Arianna to the back room where Josef normally slept. "Come on, hon." Beth guided the overheated vampire into the freezer, where she immediately closed her eyes, taking in the cool air. 

"Shut it." Josef indicated to the open door. "She can open it from the inside."

The group exited as Arianna slept, and Mick cast Josef a glance. "I told you so."

"Shut up."

* * *

A/N : For the record, I fail at this. Read and review. I'm SO sorry if they're out of character. And PLEASE try to review with something constructive so I can fix it. Or be specific as to why you like it. Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five:

"Arianna, are you sure you're up to this?" Josef called, adjusting his shirt in the mirror. Clubbing had never been a big thing on his list, but he thought he had managed to pull off the look quite nicely. He had chosen a deep red button down shirt with black jeans, and the elder vampire thought he looked quite handsome. All that remained now was his other half, who was taking much longer than he had ever anticipated. "Women." He murmured under his breath.

"I HEARD THAT!" Arianna called, bathroom door slamming shut. "You're not allowed to laugh."

Josef twitched his nose as the smell of perfume wafted into the room, and he turned. Had he not been somewhat accustomed to scantily clad women regularly occupying his home, his jaw would have made friends with the floor. A black dress made of fabric that seemed to catch the light and throw it back at you shimmered over Arianna's curves, leaving little to the imagination. Falling at just above the knee, the back flared out into a small train, allowing her ease of movement. With her hair and make up done, Arianna looked every inch worthy of being at Josef's side, and he made no attempt to hide that fact. "My dear, you look absolutely stunning."

"Why thank you." Arianna trilled playfully, reaching up and fixing Josef's tie.

Josef swatted her hand away gently, reaching up to fix it himself. "I have a method to these things. You must understand that."

Arianna rolled her eyes. "I'm sure." There was a loud knock on the door, and the vampire brightened. "They're here!" She hurried over to the security feed, grin widening as Mick and Beth's images flickered to life. "About TIME!" She leaned over, opening the door with all the excitement of a four year old expecting presents.

Mick smiled gently at the vampire, glancing over her shoulder at Josef. There seemed to be a silent greeting exchanged as Mick and Beth stepped over the threshold of the apartment. "You look lovely, Arianna." Mick took her hand gently, planting a courtly kiss on the ring there.

Arianna simply stared for a moment, before, "It took me TWO hours to get ready, and all you're wearing is a fancier coat. WHAT IS THIS?!" She threw up her hands in exasperation, starting back towards the inside of the apartment. "Beth, sweetheart, do you want something to drink?"

Beth frowned. "You have something other than blood here?"

"What makes you think otherwise?" Beth let out a little shriek as Josef appeared, seemingly out of thin air.

Mick shut the door with his foot, ushering Beth over to the expansive sofa. "Josef, don't do that." He scolded, giving Beth a reassuring pat on the shoulder before starting towards the kitchen. "Is the drink invitation still open?"

"Of course." Arianna smiled, handing Mick a tall champagne glass full of blood. Hurrying over to Beth, she set a glass of water down in front of her. "I'm sorry, it's all we had that was drinkable…"

Beth smiled up at the vampire. "It's okay. I understand."

With a smile in return, Arianna swept past the blonde, making her way into the bedroom where Josef had retreated to finish getting ready. "Darling?"

"Which shirt looks better?" Josef's voice sounded from the closet, and he emerged bearing three different shirts, the deep red one, a black one, and a dark green one.

"That one." Arianna indicated the green one with her free hand, taking a sip from the glass she held and pulling a face.

"It tastes odd, I know." Josef conceded, retreating back into the closet to put the shirt on as Arianna leaned against the bedpost, waiting. "Come here."

Arianna frowned, taking another sip quickly before setting it down on the bedside table and making her way to the closet. "Yes?" She let out a small gasp as Josef grabbed her shoulders gently, pulling her into a searing kiss.

A moment passed before he broke the kiss, grinning in a way only Josef could. "You taste like blood. AB positive."

Arianna nodded, somewhat amazed. "How-"

"I have four centuries to my name, my dear." Josef pulled his jacket on, flicking the light in the closet off and exiting. "What say we head out now?"

"I don't see any problem with it." She followed the elder vampire into the main room, where Mick and Beth were waiting expectantly.

"Are we leaving now, Josef? I swear, you take longer than these girls to get ready." Mick grinned wryly at Josef's reddening face. "I'm kidding, Josef. Calm down."

Beth jumped in. "Can we go now?"

Josef nodded, leading the way. "Certainly. Arianna, stay close."

They made their way down to the car, Arianna slightly confused. "Why?"

Josef opened the door for her, allowing her to slide into the convertible, before walking around and hopping over the door himself. "Lets just say…you're young. You're new to this kind of thing. I don't want you hurt."

Arianna smiled. "Okay."

* * *

Mick St. John couldn't remember the last time he went to a club to just have fun. The group had little difficulty getting in, due to Arianna and Beth's feminine wiles and the not-so-human nature of the males, and were now scattered across the dance floor. Thudding bass and flickering lights had become an object of fascination for Arianna, and the last Mick saw, Arianna was pulling Josef off through the crowd.

"Mick? Are you okay?" Beth had emerged from the crowd, bearing two glasses.

Mick nodded. "Yeah. Thanks." He smiled, taking the glass automatically and starting to take a gulp.

"Ah, wait!" Beth stopped him quickly, grabbing his wrist. "That's soda. Don't think you'd like it too much."

Mick paused, sniffing and nearly coughing at the bubbles that accosted his nose. "I see." He laughed, lowering the glass. "I suppose this is for appearances only?"

Beth smiled up at him, looping her arm through his. "Yeah, pretty much."

They stood there for a few moments in content silence before Mick spoke up again. "Did you see where Josef and Arianna got to?"

Beth shrugged. "Last I saw, they were dancing."

Mick turned to stare at her. "What?"

Beth nodded. "They were dancing. This is a slow song."

The vampire noted for the first time that night that the song was lacking it's usual techno beat and high bass, but that didn't stop his confusion. "They couldn't have been. Josef doesn't dance."

"OBVIOUSLY he does, Mick." Beth frowned. "Why are you so determined against this?"

"Because the Josef Konstantin I know wouldn't DO that!" Mick spluttered indignantly, starting out onto the dance floor.

"Wait! MICK!" Beth sighed in exasperation, following the determined vampire as he strode off towards the darkest corner of the floor.

The vampire stopped short, spotting the pair off in their own world. "Well, what do you know…"

"I TOLD you." Beth panted, smiling at the pair.

If anyone had told Josef that he would be slow-dancing with someone he fell in love with overnight, he would have called them a flaming liar and probably have threatened to eat them on the spot. But now, as he revolved slowly on the spot with the comforting weight of Arianna's arms draped over his shoulders, that didn't seem like something to do.

"Josef?"

"Mm?" The vampire glanced down at Arianna, a small smile crossing his face.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Arianna." Josef whispered, pulling Arianna into a tight embrace. He started as someone tapped him on the shoulder. "What is it?" He turned, letting out a yell as someone struck him across the face, sending him careening away from Arianna.

"Josef?! Who are you? GET OFF! GET-" She cut herself off with a moan of pain as whatever was attacking them got to her as well.

"ARIANNA!" Josef yelled, ignoring the screams of the other club-goers.

"JOSEF!" Her pained yell made his heart seem to try to claw its way out of his chest, and he dove forward blindly, gasping as searing pain shot through his arms.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you to be careful around strangers?" A female voice lilted in his ear.

"Bitch." Josef spat, letting out another yell as the female tightened something around his wrists. Something metal. Something…

"Silver." The voice purred. "That should keep you calm."

Josef never panicked. Not even when he was about to die. He panicked now. "You can't DO THAT to her! She'll DIE! She's too young!"

He bit back a groan as their attacker slapped him. "SHUT UP! She's not what I'm after! YOU are."

"You don't know me!" Josef burst out, crying out in pain as the attacker jerked on the silver chain again.

"No? Think about that, Josef." She wrenched him into the light, revealing her face to him for the first time that night.

It couldn't be. "Sara?"

* * *

A/N: So...yeah. I like how this is going. Tell me if you all agree!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six:

It wasn't supposed to be like this. They were supposed to have come to this club to get away. To keep Arianna safe. Now, Arianna was dying and Josef was in danger of being killed. Mick couldn't have been any less pleased. Watching the scene unfold before him with a critical eye, he threw an arm out, catching Beth in the chest and stopping her from rushing forward. "I don't like this…"

"MICK! Let GO!" Beth hissed vehemently, fighting uselessly to break the vampire's grip. "She needs help!"

"If by 'she', you mean Arianna, then yes. Otherwise, no, she doesn't." Mick indicated a prone Arianna, lying a few feet away from Josef.

Beth stopped struggling, looking baffled. "Why is she so still? She doesn't even look like she's breathing…"

"Stake." Was all Mick said, and he edged towards the younger vampire.

"BACK OFF!" Mick ducked as "Sara", or whoever it was, aimed a strike at him. "If you know what's good for you, you'll leave yourself out of this." She snarled, wrapping the loose ends of the chain around Josef's exposed neck.

The elder vampire's eyes widened, and he let out a soft whimper of agony, pupils dilating from the pain. Mick couldn't believe his eyes. In the space of thirty seconds, Josef had been reduced from a swaggering, arrogant vampire into a cowering, groveling one. "Who ARE you?" Mick blurted, grabbing "Sara's" wrist as she aimed another slap at him. "You're not acting like the Sara Josef knew."

Josef's eyes widened even further at this realization, and "Sara" let an angry growl escape her throat. "You know NOTHING of Sara and Josef. Keep OUT of this! She's too powerful, and she's gotten what's due to her. Back off!"

Mick frowned, stepping forward away from Beth and Arianna. "You're not Sara." He stated quietly, reaching out and taking hold of the elegant necklace "Sara" wore. "And this isn't Josef's necklace." With a deft jerk, he broke the chain, and the tall, stately redhead vanished into a short, shy, dark-haired girl. With speed only a vampire could achieve, Mick reached out, grabbing hold of the girl's hair and wrenching her head back to expose her throat. "Drop the chains. Now."

Shaking, the girl did as she was told. "You haven't won. Not yet."

Mick snarled at her, fangs elongating in anger. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now."

"Because if you waste any more time…the fledgling will die." With a grin, the girl jerked away, vanishing off into the stunned crowd.

Mick turned to the other two vampires, who had, mercifully, passed out.

* * *

"Josef? Josef, wake up!" The elder vampire groaned, opening his eyes to see a pale blonde hovering over him.

"Beth…?" He slurred, starting to sit up, before realizing that he couldn't move. "What the-"

"Easy, Josef." A gentle hand placed itself on the vampire's shoulder, before she turned, yelling, "Mick, he's awake!"

Josef turned his head as Mick St. John came barreling through the doors, bearing a large beaker of red liquid from which protruded a straw. "Here. Drink it."

Josef sniffed, grinning. "AB positive? You know me too well, Mick." He opened his mouth, allowing the younger vampire to insert the straw, and thus, the life-giving liquid. He had all but drained the beaker when memories crashed in around his ears. "Arianna! Where is she?"

Mick removed the glass, setting it on the bedside table. "Josef, you have to understand that we tried everything we could…"

"She's NOT dead!" Josef cut in sharply, starting to sit up, before realizing that his wrists and ankles were restrained to the bed. "What the HELL?!"

"You were making a huge fuss. Silver is excruciating when the injuries are healing." Mick explained, removing the restraints closest to him, before making his way around the bed to do likewise to the others.

When he was completely free, Josef sat up, massaging life back into the slightly numbed limbs. "Where is she?" He asked softly, scanning the room quickly with hazel eyes.

"She's…in a state right now…" Mick explained hesitantly, stepping back to allow Josef to get out of the bed. "It's not pretty."

"Neither am I, when I'm mad. Let me see her."

Beth jumped in with a quiet opinion. "You really don't want to, Josef. It really is bad…"

Josef gave them both incredulous stares, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I have 400 years on this earth to my name. That's about 300 years more than both of you combined. I've seen many things in my lifetime. Now, tell me what you've done with her before I MAKE you."

Mick nodded quietly. "She got the worst of the silver treatment. We managed to get it away from her before it killed her, but…" He made his way over to the wall that held the keypad, punching in the code. The wall slid open with a hiss and Mick entered, followed closely by Josef, and Beth. Making his way around the main freezer chamber that Arianna and Josef shared, he approached another, smaller one. "This is from my house. You didn't have another one…so…" Gently, he opened the lid.

Josef had to grab hold of Beth's shoulder to keep himself upright. "My god…"

Arianna lay unconscious in the freezer chamber, paler than a sheet of paper, with tubes hooked to her arms and chest. A tube of red liquid flowed steadily into her arm, undoubtedly keeping her alive. However, it wasn't the tubing that scared Josef. A series of dark red, almost black marks ran their way around the vampire's neck and shoulders, snaking under the sheets that covered her body. "I told you it was bad. I'm sorry, Josef…"

"She's not…"

"No." Mick responded to Josef's unasked question. "But she's young. She needs you, Josef. I don't have the power to restore her vitality…nor do I have the right."

"Are you telling me that I should be on the other end of that blood tube?" Josef whispered, averting his eyes from Arianna's still form.

"Yes." Mick replied simply. "That's what I'm telling you."

* * *

_"Guess." _

_"Come on, Josef! That's not fair, you only look like you're 20 something!" Arianna's lilting voice filled the once quiet bedroom, and Josef grinned._

_"Come on, just guess. I'm not touchy like you. I won't be offended." Josef reached out, gently running his fingers through Arianna's hair as he sat on the edge of the bed._

_Arianna closed her eyes, scrunching up her face in thought before, "800!"_

_Josef made a sound somewhere between a snort and a cough, before laughing outright. "Do you really think I'm that old, sweetheart?"_

_Arianna pouted childishly. "You said guess, I guessed!"_

_Josef flicked her nose gently, smiling when she wrinkled it playfully. "Guess again. Really, I'm not that old. I'm not that young, but I'm not that old."_

_"Shouldn't this have been passed on through the blood, or something? Like your name?"_

_Josef laughed once more. "You're giving up already, love?"_

_"NO!" Arianna stuck her tongue out at the elder vampire, before falling back into thought. "300."_

_"Ooh." Josef tsked quietly. "So close, yet so far."_

_"Just TELL me, Josef!" Arianna squealed as Josef dove at her, tickling her mercilessly. "Stoppit! JOSEF!"_

_"What?" Josef sat back innocently, allowing her to regain her breath. "400, dear."_

_"What?"_

_Josef rolled his eyes, reaching out and ruffling Arianna's long red hair gently before hopping off the bed. "You wanted my age. I gave it to you."_

_"That's IT?" Arianna frowned as she smoothed her hair. "I don't believe you."_

_"Believe me, okay?" Josef leaned down, planting a kiss on Arianna's nose. "I promise, I'm only 400 years old."_

_Arianna watched as Josef started to leave the room, before, "Josef?"_

_"Mm?" The vampire turned in the doorway, hazel eyes meeting blue._

_"I love you!"_

_A soft laugh, before, "I love you too, my dear."_

* * *

"Josef, are you okay? Josef!" Beth shook the semi-conscious vampire, before yelling for Mick again. "Josef, talk to me!"

"Whatever happened…to our love…" Josef murmured softly, obviously lost in is own world.

"Why is he quoting ABBA…MICK! GET IN HERE!" Beth yelled, still trying to get the vampire to consciously realize where he was.

Mick hurried in, bearing a blood bag. His eyes widened as he spotted Josef. "Take him off that thing. NOW!"

As Beth did as she was told, Mick opened the freezer, coming face to face with a fully conscious, and slightly scarred Arianna. "Where's Josef?"

Mick froze, glancing between Arianna and Beth, who was now supporting a nearly unconscious Josef. "He's…"

* * *

A/N: So…Yeah, I like beating characters up. I'm sorry if that's a bother. XD Read and Review, please!


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